Spines made of purple energy sprang forth from the Spirit Tortoise's back, raining down on the artillery soldiers.

"Get everyone to retreat, now!" Aris yelled to Loretta through his CD-Comm.

Loretta nodded, beckoning for the advancing soldiers to fall back immediately.

For many of them, however, it was too late.

"Is it that desperate for souls?" said Cloud.

"No," Ost answered. "It's taking far more than it needs. Whoever is controlling it must be behind that."

A few spines hurtled towards the Rebellion. "Meteor Shield!" Aris blocked them.

"Everyone, get in the carriage!" Aris said as he summoned his motorcycle. He turned on his CD-Comm. "Loretta, give this message to everyone back at headquarters..."

Eclair watched as Aris and the others rode towards the Spirit Tortoise in their wagon. "What is he doing?"

She addressed the army. "Everyone, ready your weapons. We're charging this thing."

"With all due respect, ma'am," said one, "that's practically suicide!"

"Those thorns aren't landing anywhere close to it," Eclair pointed out. "It's probably so that the Spirit Tortoise doesn't accidentally hurt itself."

"The soldiers will take heavy casualties," another soldier remarked.

"We'll take even more by staying here," said Eclair. "If we fall back now, we'll be wiped out. All soldiers, follow Aris and his friends! Charge!"

Eclair led the soldiers as they rushed the immobilized giant.

"Your Highness, I have a status report!" Queen Mirellia heard Loretta speak through the CD-Comm she'd received. "The Spirit Tortoise was immobilized, but it's begun a long-range assault! I've relayed orders from my brother to the soldiers, so now they're mounting a charge."

One of the leaders banged his fists against the table. "Is he insane?!"

"The Shield Hero likely has a plan up his sleeve," Mirellia assured him.

"Oh! I almost forgot!" Loretta spoke again. "He told me to tell you that he's 'moving to phase two,' whatever that means." Loretta hung up.

"I suppose we have only one choice," said Mirellia. "Rally the mages, specifically the high-class multi-casters! Begin initiating the incantation at once!"

"Everyone, stop grouping up!" said one of the knights. "It'll wipe us out all at once!"

A thorn landed right in the middle of the group, barely missing Ake.

Once the dust had cleared, Ake pushed the dying body of one of his comrades off of him. "I won't let your death be in vain," he assured the dying knight.

The knight breathed his last, his eyes remaining open as he died. Ake gently closed his eyelids for him, then got up and continued marching.

All around him was death and destruction. Ake was in pain, but he continued. He refused to give up.

A thorn flew his way. Ake rushed forward to dodge, ducking into a crater with a few other soldiers.

"Multi-caster magic?" said Raphtalia. "You don't mean-"

"I do," said Aris. "We can't let anyone else die."

Atop a nearby mountain, a large crowd of mages began their incantation.

"They can only use it once," Aris informed the others. "Since it's so hard on them. But with the spell, they can blast off its foot."

"And even if it doesn't do that," added Ost, "it should form a crater large enough to keep the Tortoise immobile."

"But it's so damn big, we can't count on that," Aris pointed out. "If all else fails, we go in guns blazing."

"It's still our best option," said Ost.

"Yeah," Aris agreed. "Hey, are you really sure you want to go through with this? Because if this works, you'll..." He trailed off.

Ost nodded. "But I don't mind. I made this choice even before I met you."

Cloud smiled at her. "It takes a lot of guts to be willing to accept a fate like that."

Suddenly, something erupted from the ground in front of the group. Filo quickly stopped.

Staring them down was a creature that looked like some kind of hybrid; an unholy abomination composed of different types of Familiars.

Sora quickly readied his Keyblade. "Stopga!"

The spell froze the amalgam in place. War cries rang out as soldiers began rushing past. "What's going on?" said Joker.

Loretta flew up to the wagon. "They'll take this thing on, we'll head to the Spirit Tortoise!"

Aris quickly disconnected Filo from the wagon. Raphtalia, Rishia, Joker, and Elrasla mounted her. Aris summoned his motorcycle for himself and Cloud. Meanwhile, Sora shifted his Keyblade into what looked like some sort of vehicle. He mounted it like it was a motorcycle and gripped a pair of handlebars.

"It can do that?" said Aris.

Sora nodded. "Keyblade Glider," he replied.

Without another word, the Rebellion charged.

Meanwhile, the soldiers began to fight the amalgam. The enemy reared to attack two fighters, only for its targets to be suddenlh saved by spherical barriers of green energy.

The soldiers looked to see Ost casting protective magic, putting all her energy into it. "Hey, arent you..."

Aris gunned the engines on his bike. "Hurry!"

Above the Spirit Tortoise, two sigils of light began to form. "Wait..." said Cloud. "Is that..?"

"Judgement." Loretta nodded. "The same spell the Pope tried to kill us with."

A gash was seared into the Spirit Tortoise's neck, smoldering and sizzling like a hot dog on a grill.

"Now's our chance!" said Aris. "Sis! Raphtalia! Filo! Cloud! Sora! With me!"

"On it!"

Cloud jumped onto Filo's back with Raphtalia. Sora's Keyblade Glider sped after them. Aris activated the Power of Flight and practically exploded into the air.

Raphtalia Filo, and Cloud leaped at rhe Spirit Tortoise, weapons ready. Raphtalia's magic engulfed both her sword and Cloud's as Filo readied magic of her own.

Their combined powers formed a massive Blade Beam that ripped further into the Spirit Tortoise's neck.

"Now, we finish this!" Aris exclaimed. "Keldeo, use Secret Sword on its neck!"

He chucked out a Poké Ball and Keldeo emerged, using Secret Sword to turn its horn into a long golden blade.

Keldeo pounced at the Spirit Tortoise, using Secret Sword to slice even further through its neck.

Loretta flew to the other side of its neck, using a continuous repulsor laser to burn away more flesh.

"Sora, let's wrap this up!" Aris said.

The two sped to the Spirit Tortoise; Sora shifted his Keyblade out of its Glider form. He pointed the weapon at the exposed flesh. "Ragnarok!"

Beams of light burst from the Keyblade's tip, exploding upon contact with the Spirit Tortoise. Aris finished things with a final overhead blow, using the Power of Flight to drive himself downward.

Finally, the Spirit Tortoise's head fell to the ground.

BGM: Olympus Coliseum (The Shining Summit) - Kingdom Hearts 3

Cheers erupted from the surviving soldiers. The Rebellion of the Shield stood triumphant, and the Spirit Tortoise had fallen at last.

Eclair took off her helmet, feeling the fresh evening breeze grace her forehead. "You did it, Aris," she quietly said to herself. "You crazy son of a bitch, you did it."

Everyone broke out into celebration. The mages, the soldiers, even the people at the headquarters.

Loretta landed on the ground, deactivated her armor, and started doing a celebretory dance. Joker victoriously shook his rear end at the decapitated titan, laughing at himself afterwards.

End BGM

"We really did it," said Sora.

"But, if the Tortoise is dead," said Raphtalia, "then that means Ost is..."

Rishia began to cry upon the realization.

"She went out a hero," said Aris. "She died so that all of us can live."

Filo looked behind her. "Wait, why is Rishia crying about Ost? She's still here."

Rishia accepted a handkerchief from Ost. "Thanks..." She started wiping her tears, but then her eyes widened. "Wait a second, you're not dead?!"

"If Ost's still here, then..." Aris was in shock.

Loretta sighed. "We've still got work to do."